Pepe Serna
Durable Mexican-American actor Pepe Serna has appeared in more than 100 feature films and 300 television shows, but is most recognized for his gritty support performances in a variety of motion pictures, including Scarface (1983) as Al Pacino's ill-fated cocaine partner, as well as the western Silverado (1985) with Kevin Costner, the crime yarn The Rookie (1990) starring Clint Eastwood and Charlie Sheen, and the drama American Me (1992) starring Edward James Olmos. In a career surpassing five decades, Pepe's characters have played on both sides of the law -- from drug peddlers to sheriffs.
He was born (and raised) in Corpus Christi, Texas on July 23, 1944, the son of a naval base interpreter for Latin American pilots and a hairdresser. His desires to become an actor happened early in life, moving to Hollywood in 1969 to finally pursue his dreams. He didn't have to wait long to find steady Latino work on film and TV.
Making an inauspicious debut in the exploitation film The Student Nurses (1970), Pepe found more "A" quality work after being discovered by producer Hal B. Wallis for the coming-of-age film Tim Belcher starring Richard Thomas and Catherine Burns and the western Shoot Out (1971) starring Gregory Peck. Specializing in urban, streetwise roles, he went on to mix a number of popular films (The New Centurions (1972), The Day of the Locust (1975), Car Wash (1976), A Force of One (1979), Walk Proud (1979), Honeysuckle Rose (1980), Inside Moves (1980), Deal of the Century (1983), Red Dawn (1984), Caddyshack II (1988)) with a slew of popular TV crime dramas such as "Mannix," "Police Story," "Adam-12," "The Rookies," "The Rockford Files," "Baretta," "Kojak," "CHiPs," "Barney Miller," "Scarecrow & Mrs. King," "T.J. Hooker," "Simon & Simon," "Hill Street Blues," "Miami Vice," "Cagney & Lacey" and "Diagnosis Murder."
Long married to wife Diane, Pepe is a noted keynote teacher and motivational speaker who tours colleges and universities. His strong sideline as a painter has been met with critical success, having been commissioned quite frequently. His vibrant paintings and one-man stage shows reflect a serious return to his Mexican roots and was the subject of the 2015 short documentary "Life Is Art."
Known for
Criminal Minds
Ruben Garcia
Mannix
The A-Team
Tómas Jefferson
Diagnosis: Murder
Capt. Collins
Knight Rider
Lupo
Miami Vice
Oswaldo Guzman
Miami Vice
Zabado
Quantum Leap
Manuel Vega
The Rockford Files
Ray Ochoa
Adam-12
Roger
Scarface
Angel
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Raymond Cassiano
Matlock
Walter Padilla
Sliders
Roberto
Hunter
Roberto Sanchez
Barney Miller
Julio Rodriguez
T. J. Hooker
Frank Fierro
Cannon
Simon & Simon
Lou Grant
Kojak
Enorio Patias
Kojak
Rudy Diaz
Baretta
Cagney & Lacey
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Flamin' Hot
Abuelito
Deal of the Century
Vardis
Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone
Rancher
The Rookies
Justice League
Shifflet (voice)
A Million to Juan
Mr. Ortiz
The Black Dahlia
Tomas Dos Santos
Streets of Justice
Det. Almos
The Zeta Project
CHiPs
Police Story
Hell Town
Enrique
The Greatest American Hero
Johnny Got His Gun
Jose (uncredited)
The Day of the Locust
Miguel
Jesse
Pappa Vasquez
The PJs
Sanchez (voice)
Downsizing
Señor Cárdenas
Bread and Roses
Restaurateur
The Paper Chase
Bronk
The Three Kings
Alex Sweetwood
Dimension 404
Wally Nash
Human Error
Heartbreaker
Loco
American Me
Mundo
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Reno Nevada
Red Dawn
Aardvark's Father
Kill or Be Killed
Rudy Goebel
Shoot Out
Pepe
Inside Moves
Herrada
With Love
Luis Delgado
Monday Nights at Seven
Paul
Honeysuckle Rose
Rooster
The Virgin of Juarez
Eduardo Morales
Caddyshack II
Carlos
The Last Angry Man
Charlie Parelli
Vice Squad
Pete Mendez
The Rookie
Lt. Ray Garcia
The Jerk
Punk #1
Group Marriage
Ramon
Restored Me
Manny
City in Fear
Raymond Zavala
Only You
Dock Official
The Brave
Alessandro
Kingpin
A Force of One
Orlando
Picking Up the Pieces
Florencio
Out of Bounds
Murano
Best Kept Secrets
Jim Ramos
A Year in the Life
Carlos
Postcards from the Edge
Raoul
Miracle on 34th Street
Y Leader
Rafferty
Swashbuckler
Street Entertainer
The Forgotten
Sgt. Pepe Gutierrez
Daybreak
Herman Ortiz
Lowriders
Pepe
Say a Little Prayer
Land of Milk & Honey
Danny
Fandango
Gas Station Mechanic
The Planters
Jesús
Deadly Swarm
Commandante Alvarez
Cake
Nuncio
Walk Proud
Cesar
Along for the Ride
Dr. Sanchez
Conagher
Car Wash
Chuco
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
Migrant Worker (uncredited)
The Deadly Tower
Mano
The Killer Inside Me
Johnny Lopez
Latin Dragon
Hector Sanchez
Break of Dawn
Hector
The Fortunate Pilgrim
John Colucci
Jonny's Golden Quest
Agent Menendez
The Princess and the Barrio Boy
Bum
White on Rice
Professor Berk
Second Chances
Salvador Lopez
White Water Rebels
Harry Cutter
The Streets of L.A.
Sgt. Castro
Bad Jim
Virgilio Segura
Superpowerless
Dr. George Holst
Man from Reno
Paul Del Moral
The Margarita Man
Jose Martinez
Seguin
Manuel Flores
DEA
Three Years Gone
Luminarias
Dudley
Santana
McNaughton's Daughter
Ruiz
Joe Dancer II: The Monkey Mission
Vito
300 Miles for Stephanie
Bobby Hernandez
Hotel Malibu
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Father Miguel
The Desperate Miles
Ruiz
In the Flesh
Harlan Ramirez
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Romaldo Cortez
The New Centurions
Young Mexican Man
Roots of Blood
Juan
The Student Nurses
Luis
Kung Fu
Los Vidrios
Flavor of Life
Moe
Exposed
Raoul
Road to Juarez
Fortunato
Big Dreams Little Tokyo
Mr. Gonzalez
Under Water: Dive Deep
Lil' Big Me
From the Dead
Rodrigo
The Gun
Natcho